2015 Canyon Ferry Carp Safari!By angelamontana

The Montana Bowhunters Association will host the 13th Annual Canyon Ferry Carp Safari on June 13, 2015 on Canyon Ferry Lake, east of Helena. Weigh-in and the awards ceremony will be staged at the Hellgate Campground Group Use Area. The competition runs from first light until 5:00 pm, with prizes to be awarded for largest fish, smallest fish, and most fish (by count) in youth and adult categories. Hamburgers, chips and beverages will be available after the shoot for registered participants and spectators. The prizes are great, the camping’s great and you can’t find a better way to spend a summer weekend!

The entry fees are as follows: $30 per 2-person team, $15 per adult individual, and $5 per under-15 individual. The meal is included in shooters’ registration fees, and meal tickets for spectators can be purchased for $6.00. Camping sites are available at the Hellgate North group use area for both Friday and Saturday nights. The fee per camping site is $20, paid on-site.

Bow – For the beginner, any bow will do. You can use any bow that you are comfortable with. Most people prefer not to use their hunting bow as bowfishing requires a somewhat different setup. A short, light weight bow with a 50 lb or less draw weight is ideal for bowfishing, and 40 lbs. is more than adequate for Canyon Ferry carp! Traditional bows are very popular in bowfishing, and are easily rigged with several different types of reels. Junior bows are great, too, because of the size and weight.

Screw-on or tape-on fishing reel with nylon string.

Fiberglass fishing arrows work best. Get arrows without vanes or fletch – fletching can cause problems by spinning the arrow and causing the line to twist, which results in line control problems. Two or three arrows are enough, but you may want more fish points, in case you break them on rocks. Quick-release points are a good idea. Ensure your arrows are equipped with safety slides (see warning below).

Boat (optional) – if you bring one, it must have current registration and be equipped with life jackets.

Bow with standard arrows in case bowfishing is slow – we will have big game 3-D targets set up onshore.

For more information, check out the Montana Bowhunters Association website by clicking here.